author
William Chaffers
1811–1892
Best known for turning collectors’ clues into practical reference books, this Victorian antiquary helped readers identify hallmarks and ceramic marks with far more confidence. His guides stayed useful well beyond his lifetime and became standard tools for students of decorative arts.
1 Audiobook
The Collector's Handbook to Keramics of the Renaissance and Modern Periods
by William Chaffers
About the author
Born in London in 1811, William Chaffers was an English antiquary and reference writer with a lasting influence on the study of decorative arts. He is chiefly remembered for books on gold and silver hallmarks and on the marks used on pottery and porcelain, subjects that mattered enormously to collectors, dealers, and museums trying to identify and date objects accurately.
His best-known works include Hall Marks on Gold and Silver Plate and Marks and Monograms on Pottery and Porcelain, first published in the 19th century and reissued in later editions. These books gathered large amounts of hard-to-find information into practical reference form, which helped make them enduring authorities for readers interested in antiques and craftsmanship.
Chaffers died in 1892. Although some of his conclusions were later revised by newer scholarship, his work played an important part in organizing and popularizing the study of makers’ marks, and his name remains familiar in the world of antiques and ceramic history.